Water in Hydrogen Embrittled Copper

Abstract

The presence of water in hydrogen embrittled copper was demonstrated by calorimetry and low frequency internal friction measurements. Copper specimens with varying oxygen contents of 90 to 1250 mass ppm were subjected to annealing in hydrogen atmosphere at temperatures between 300 and 700°C. The differential scanning calorimetry of such specimens exhibited heat absorption associated with the ice-water transformation. By changing the lowest temperature where the heating started for the measurement, supercooling of −10 to −35°C was observed. Low frequency internal friction showed a corresponding change; the internal friction is simply interpreted to consist of contributions from the matrix copper and the dispersed ice crystals. © 1989, The Japan Institute of Metals. All rights reserved.